Riff Racer
- May 12, 2016
- FOAM Entertainment
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Riff Racer: Race Your Music" is a rhythm-based racing game where you race on tracks generated by your own music library. The game provides a unique experience as the tracks are created in real-time to match the rhythm and tempo of the song. Your driving skills and the beat of the music sync up to give you a thrilling ride.
iPad
iPhone
PC
Phone
Steam Deck
Windows
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- The ability to upload any song and race on the track generated from it is a unique and enjoyable feature.
- The visuals are vibrant and engaging, creating an immersive experience while racing.
- The game offers a fun way to experience music, allowing players to enjoy their favorite tracks in a new way.
- As of 2022, the game no longer works properly due to server shutdowns, limiting the main appeal of custom tracks.
- The controls can feel unresponsive and the drifting mechanics are often frustrating.
- Many players have reported issues with track generation not accurately reflecting the music, leading to a lack of variety and excitement.
- music1,356 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music aspect of "Riff Racer" is highly praised for its unique feature that allows players to race on tracks generated from their own music library, creating a personalized and immersive experience. However, many users express disappointment over the game's inability to accurately sync tracks with the music, leading to inconsistent difficulty ratings and gameplay that sometimes feels disconnected from the audio. Despite these issues, the game remains a fun way to enjoy music while engaging in racing, especially for those with extensive music collections.
“This game is amazing, especially with custom music.”
“The way the music knits itself so beautifully into the race track gives me chills.”
“Riff Racer is a simplistic and stylized music racing game where you can race your own music by yourself, against friends or online leaderboard submissions tracked by the last fm integration and it has been my #1 stream game for many years as my viewers get to send in music they'd like to hear while we have a nice chat while I play their and my music that we share with each other.”
“Great game but it's a shame you can no longer add your own music.”
“The biggest issue I wish they would solve is that sometimes slow songs are given a fast-paced, high difficulty race track, and crazy songs are given a boring, 1-star race track.”
“Doesn't reflect music - many times the music feels like background music, rather than the essence of the track.”
- gameplay130 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the unique concept of music-based racing and the smooth driving mechanics, while others criticize the drifting system and the lack of depth in gameplay. Although the track generation and synchronization with music can be hit or miss, the overall experience is engaging enough for casual play, with potential for improvement in future updates. Players find the game easy to learn but challenging to master, making it enjoyable for both casual gamers and those seeking high scores.
“Overall, a solid arcade rhythm racing game with smooth gameplay, which is definitely worth a buy if you are into that sort of stuff.”
“The gameplay itself is really good too, it's easy to learn, but challenging to master, which is always a good thing.”
“The gameplay is a mixture of avoiding obstacles, collecting boxes for points/boost, collecting tokens for in-game customization, jumping off ramps (and landing them) all while staying in sync with the song you are playing.”
“The gameplay loop is really boring, just driving on a randomly-generated track that I don't even think syncs with the music you played.”
“Every car steers the same, there is no variety and the drift mechanics aren't fun either, because it breaks the combo chain way too fast and doesn't really reward you for doing it.”
“While I like the idea of making racing tracks that fit with music, they end up feeling samey very fast and the driving mechanics aren't that great either.”
- graphics101 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, featuring a vibrant and psychedelic aesthetic that syncs well with the music, reminiscent of classic titles like Audiosurf. However, many users note a lack of variety in track designs and color schemes, leading to a somewhat repetitive visual experience. While the visuals are appealing and run smoothly on low-end systems, some players express frustration over limited graphic options and occasional issues with visibility during intense gameplay.
“The graphics are amazing and the music is perfectly in sync.”
“The graphical style of this game is amazing too, with lots of psychedelic colors that pulsate and flash in time to the music, making it suitable for almost any genre.”
“The visuals do a good job of syncing up with the beat of the music, creating an enjoyable experience.”
“I could connect to play my songs but this game is unplayable because even with full release after early access it has no graphic options, optimization and my PC can't run it decently, so I can't say anything about gameplay, driving, etc.”
“The handling is terrible, even worse than some flash games that were made in ten minutes, the race track (collectibles, walls and the track itself) doesn't follow your music, the only way to change the language is by placing a text file in the game directory (since January of 2016), monotone colors, no graphic settings aside from a full screen toggle and resolution... a huge disappointment since I like casual racing games and rhythm games.”
“Graphics are aliased to all hell.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is highly praised, largely hinging on the size of the player's music library, which allows for endless variations in gameplay. Players can also engage in leaderboard challenges and unlock various cars and skins, adding to the game's addictive nature. However, some reviewers suggest that additional game modes could enhance replay value further.
“Amazing game with a replay value that is limited only by your music collection.”
“The game offers replay value in the form of unlockables; each car is sort of expensive and has its own set of skins that can go up to 25,000 in-game currency, with each track giving you between 200-500 in-game currency if you’re good.”
“It can be difficult at times, but that just adds to the replayability of trying to get a higher score the next time around.”
“For a game that's hinging on its procedural generation to create replayability, it really could use a bit of tweaking/polish.”
“The game's replayability is entirely dependent on the size of your music library.”
“We just need some more modes to spice things up and increase replayability.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with players needing to accumulate a staggering amount of in-game currency (up to 475,000 coins) to unlock cars and achievements. Many users report spending hundreds of hours grinding for coins, often feeling that the rewards are insufficient for the effort required. However, some players find the experience somewhat mitigated by the ability to listen to their own music while grinding, which can make the repetitive tasks more bearable.
“Have fun grinding for 400 hours to unlock them all, because coin rewards are pitiful (300 coins per 3 minutes if you're lucky enough), and you need a whopping 475,000 of them!”
“The game is very grindy as you will spend most of your time trying to unlock new cars and trying to level up.”
“Grinding for tokens is probably the biggest con, but I still recommend it to anyone.”
- optimization15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users reporting solid performance and consistent frame rates, even on lower-end hardware. However, some players express frustration over the lack of graphic options and performance differences between cars, which may impact the overall experience. While the game runs well for most, there are calls for more customization and performance-related features.
“I will have to say the game is well optimized, great at using your MP3 and OGG files as levels, and has a nice driving mechanic much like Burnout.”
“The game is quite optimized; it can run on typical modern hardware (basically anything above an Intel HD 3000).”
“The performance optimization is solid, maintaining a constant 60 FPS throughout gameplay with an i5 3570K and GTX 760. The recommended requirements are pretty low, and I am impressed by that.”
“I could connect to play my songs, but this game is unplayable because even with the full release after early access, it has no graphic options or optimization, and my PC can't run it decently, so I can't say anything about gameplay, driving, etc.”
“There's also zero performance difference between all the cars, which whether or not that's a flaw is up to you.”
“The 'in sync' markers are just some arbitrary markers and will catch up regardless of performance.”
- story10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely viewed as non-existent, with many users noting that it lacks a narrative, similar to casual games like "Candy Crush." However, some appreciate this absence of story, suggesting that it allows for a focus on gameplay and customization rather than immersion in a plot. Overall, the consensus is that while there is no traditional story, the game thrives on its gameplay mechanics.
“Epic story.”
“This game has no story.”
“There isn't a story.”
“I'm saying that because there isn't a story which would of course immerse you more.”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, while others experience minimal issues. Many players express frustration over a lack of developer support and unresolved problems, particularly in the context of early access. However, a few users note that the game runs well for them, indicating that experiences may vary widely.
“Really fun and runs great.”
“I know it's an early access game, and I understand there's no such thing as a bug-free game, but these problems are the things they really need to iron out first.”
“Tried to scour the community or support pages, but none of the old fixes I tried worked and the devs seem to have abandoned it in a buggy state.”
“They never respond on the forums, or even on their bug tracker when I found a pretty nasty couple of coin-eating glitches.”
“Still a bit buggy - by this I mean there were several times where I was 100% in sync for the majority of the song, only to have it be messed up by my car randomly turning 180 degrees into the opposite direction after landing from a jump, making me go several bars behind.”
- humor7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it extremely funny due to unexpected and amusing outcomes, such as the creation of hilariously slow tracks from speedcore music. Additionally, comedic moments arise from in-game mishaps, like crashing at pivotal moments, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its racing mechanics, making it both funny and relaxing.
“Sometimes you may get funny results, like when some speedcore tracks create high-speed race tracks, but others may end up with an amusingly slow track.”
“Crashing into a barrier or hitting the edge of the track right as the climax of a song hits is kind of funny, to be honest.”
“Extremely funny racing game!”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its brilliance and stunning visuals, which vary according to the chosen music genre. However, players should be cautious of potential visual triggers, such as flashing lights. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay and immersive ambiance contributes to a captivating experience.
“This game has a brilliant atmosphere, stunning visuals (epileptics be warned), and simple yet fun gameplay.”
“Different atmosphere depending on your music genre.”
“The atmosphere feels inconsistent and often fails to match the intensity of the gameplay.”
“I expected a more immersive environment, but it felt flat and uninspired.”
“The game's atmosphere lacks depth, making it hard to get lost in the experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the game's mechanics, particularly how minor interactions with the environment can lead to significant setbacks, which detracts from the overall emotional experience and enjoyment of gameplay.
- monetization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the monetization model of the game, highlighting that it allows them to earn in-game currency through gameplay, such as leveling up or collecting it on tracks, without the presence of microtransactions or in-game purchases. This approach is seen as a refreshing change in an era dominated by monetized gaming.
“You can earn the in-game currency by leveling up or just driving over it on the track. In an age where it seems every game has in-game purchases, it's nice to see one without it.”
